Luncheon teaches small business owners skills

ALBANY, GA (WALB) - Many small businesses are having a tough time surviving the recession. The Albany Area Chamber of Commerce sponsored a Lunch and Learn event today to lend a hand.

Experts gave small business owners tips that could save them money and help them stay in business.

A realtor who came to the luncheon to learn how to run her business more efficiently says it's important to know how to avoid potential legal roadblocks so she can focus more on helping people buy homes.

Jacki Dixon has been in the real-estate business for several years. She started her own real-estate company in 2008. She's been busy all morning with clients but she's glad she could squeeze in time for the Lunch and Learn event.

" I think the lunch and learn is a good thing to have in the middle of the day for us as a small business," Dixon said.

She learned some key financial points. Cobra notification is one. Cobra allows people to continue their health insurance plan if they lose their job.

"Anything we can do right the frist time is cost affective and a good thing for us," Dixon added.

If Dixon fails to comply with Cobra, she learned at the forum that she could be fined up to $1,000 a day.

" That is a very significant fine and we need to be careful to make sure we don't get fined for anything," Dixon noted.

She also found out a $400 tax credit may be available to her employees and 1099 subcontractors.

"It will help my employees and subcontractors save money which we can spend somewhere else,"Dixon commented.

It's also time she can spend on helping new and previous home buyers find their perfect home. If Dixon can avoid legal problems by staying proactive, she says she can focus more on getting her name out in the housing market and helping people buy homes.

The annual Lunch and Learn event also covered other human resources subjects such as record keeping and when bosses are obligated to pay employees overtime.

Children play non-competitive baseball to grow teamwork skills (Source: WALB)

Some children with special needs hit the baseball diamond for their fourth season today! The Challenger League, a Leesburg-based non-profit, gives children with special needs the opportunity to play non-competitive sports with each other.

Some children with special needs hit the baseball diamond for their fourth season today! The Challenger League, a Leesburg-based non-profit, gives children with special needs the opportunity to play non-competitive sports with each other.